I was not planning to go professional at all. I was actually quit happy being an amateur. I felt I still had a lot to learn and I didn’t want to become a “dance teacher” in any way or form. Well, the universe had other plans for me. I was actually about to stop dancing when a dancer approached me, he asked me to dance with him . He basically gave me an offer, I couldn’t refuse . We started dancing together and soon thereafter I turned professional. And yes, I started teaching dance. And yes, I love teaching dance . So there you have it. It was not really a conscious decision for me to do; it was just a natural chain of event that sort of was expected of my partner and me.

So serendipidy Surely one of the main reasons the world does what it does

Well, you are lucky when some people see in you, what you can't see in yourself. I was fortunate, that he saw potential in me. I was the person that lucked out in this instance. I am not sure what he gained, other then a pain in his neck, lol

Thank you, Elise that is kind of you to say that. I still bug him very, very often . In the last 3 days I have called him 8 times to get some things done. I am sure he sometimes wishes I would go away. Well, too late for that lol

Some aspects of dance partnerships seem more life-long than life partnerships Its something to do with working closely together in both cases I suppose...

I think it is sometimes easier to have a dance partner then a life partner. You don't have to live under the same roof . So when your dance partner and you have a disagreement, you can go you separate ways (you don’t have to see each other for day ) and come back when you are ready to work out the problem. I think the main reason my partner and I are still working together after this many years, is that we give each other the time and space to grow and evolve. We have a healthy respect for one another but don’t interfere with each others private lives.

Tom Langford, the owner of the studio where we dance, tells a funny story. He said that he was working for a newspaper, selling ad space. He walked into a dance studio to see if they were interested in buying an ad. The owner said no, he wasn't interested in an ad, but he did have an opening for a male instructor. And, as Tom, says, "A month and a half later, I was a six-week wonder!"

I take it he didn't go the 'winning a championship' route as well did he? Or DID he?

No, he and his wife Mendy (who is my instructor) danced professionally for a while and won some comps, but Tom was offered the opportunity to buy the FA franchise he was teaching at. He took it, and that got him into franchising, and for a while he was one of FA's larger franchise owners in the Southeast U.S. Then at some point about twelve years ago, as he tells it, he realized that he was spending too much time doing paperwork and not enough time dancing. So they sold the franchises and opened an independent studio, and that's what they have been doing ever since.

well old-pro (who's half my age by the way) was doing OK in amateur but decided to go pro to put himself through college. Well, to be more specific, so that I could put him through college, which is in essence what I did.

Talk about a multipl ebenefit - fabulous lessons with a charming guy, terrific dance and competition partner - and the money paid put a really decent person through college. I'd say that that was money well spent...